


The Winner Stands Alone

by hithelleth



Series: All the Things Gone Wrong [4]
Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Angst, Death References, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:07:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hithelleth/pseuds/hithelleth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rachel was good at lying, especially to herself. No wonder everyone else bought it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Winner Stands Alone

Rachel was good at lying. Especially to herself. So she pretended the expression on Charlie’s face was relief when Bass’ lifeless body sagged in the chair and Miles crashed on the floor together with the chair he was tied onto, his “No!” echoing through the building. She convinced herself she saw satisfaction on her daughter’s face for the lives of her loved ones being avenged when she put down the gun and led Charlie out of the room.

Rachel told herself Charlie understood Miles had to be put in prison for trying to defend the man responsible for so much evil. She ignored the pesky little thought that nagged at her at the back of her mind about how much suffering she was responsible for. She chose to believe Charlie was pleased to hear they had burned Bass’ remains, because he didn’t deserve to be remembered.

Yes, Rachel was good at lying. That was why the surprise on her face must have been genuine when General Andrews informed her Miles had escaped, most probably with the help of her daughter, who was nowhere to be found.

Rachel took a moment before responding.

“What will you do?” she asked.

“Well, Matheson has no allies, no power, and there is a warrant on his head. We won’t actively pursue him, but if he causes any trouble, there is an order out that he be executed on spot. Your daughter will be brought here if you so wish.”

“Yes.” What else what she supposed to say? “The bastard must have somehow tricked her to help him,” she added, wishing she could believe it.

“Anyway, there is a  more pressing matter I needed to speak to you about…” the General moved on to discussing a power-related matter, diverting her train of thought.

Oh, Rachel was good at lying, but she didn’t fool herself. She knew she was worth to the Georgians only as much as her scientific contribution. She was just a pawn on the power chessboard. Nobody cared about _her_ anymore. Nobody _knew_ her. Perhaps nobody had ever really known her, not even Ben. Bass had been the one who had probably known her best, who could have sometimes almost read her mind, and she had hated him for that.

Now Bass was dead – she killed him, but saying he was dead sounded much better, another lie that seemingly cleared her of blame – and for the first time in her life, even counting her captive years, she was all alone. How ironic it was that a science project she had agreed to only for the benefit of her then yet unborn, now dead son was all she had left. 

A thought occurred to Rachel about how it could have been had she made different choices. However, it was too late now. There was no point in dwelling on the past. Yet, for the sake of the girl she had given birth to, she hoped they never find Miles and Charlie, even though that meant she would never see her again.   

***

The setting sun painted the buildings of the distant city crimson.

“Are you sure?” Miles asked, “You could still go back to your mother.”

“After I helped you escape? I don’t think so.”

“You could say I made you help me get away.”

Charlie scoffed, shaking her head. “The woman who’s there, I don’t know who she is, but she’s not the mom that left when I was eleven.”

They stood quietly for a few moments.

“Are _you_ sure?” Charlie returned the question. She watched him as he swallowed.

“There’s nothing left for me there.” They both knew he meant _no_ _one_. No one, not even a grave.  

“You know, Charlie,” Miles resumed, noticing her studying him, “if I’m stuck with you, you’ll have to tone down the worrying a little.”

“Okay,” Charlie agreed, “but you have to talk to me about… um… things.”

“I can try that.”

“Then it’s a deal.”

“A deal.” Miles slapped her on the shoulder, not too hard, as they turned their backs on Philadelphia, disappearing round the bend. 

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd, so tell me if you see something.
> 
> This is the end of this series. What do you think? Good? Bad?


End file.
